Welcom to Uzbekistan
Tashkent
Capital of Uzbekistan
Tashkent ; literally "Stone City") is the capital of Uzbekistan The officially registered population of the city in 2008 was about 2.2 million. Unofficial sources estimate the actual population may be as much as 4.45 million.
At the moment, Tashkent is the most cosmopolitan city in Uzbekistan. The city was noted for its tree lined streets, numerous fountains, and pleasant parks, at least until the recent tree-cutting campaigns initiated by local government.
Since 1991, the city has changed economically, culturally, and architecturally. The largest statue ever erected for Lenin was replaced with a globe, complete with a geographic map of Uzbekistan over it. Buildings from the Soviet era have been replaced with new, modern buildings. One example is the "Downtown Tashkent" district which includes the 22-story NBU Bank building, the Intercontinental Hotel, the International Business Center, and the Plaza Building.
In 2007, Tashkent was named the cultural capital of the Islamic world as the city is home to numerous historic mosques and Islamic locations of interest. Tashkent also houses the earliest written Qur'an which has been in Tashkent since 1924.